Shadow
by Gyroscope
Summary: Lightning never knew his shadow would strike back.


I own nothing, except my imagination.

If it isn't clear, this is set on a lonely Terra.

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**SHADOW**

The Condor plummeted, a flaming metal mass spiralling into the deep abyss of the Wastelands. Laced with despair, the dying cry of the engines hissed harshly in the Sky Knights' ears. The defeat of the battle threaded through all their hearts and constricted their hope. Finally, the streaks from their skimmers faded into the horizon, as they flew away. But only one stayed. Only one Sky Knight could stare down at what used to be his ship. No, the Storm Hawks' ship. But, the Storm Hawks were no more. They were killed, betrayed, slaughtered, by a man they trusted. He blinked and the flashes of happy memories were now disappearing as they fell, dragged along with the Condor into the bubbling pits of lava.

He turned back at his co-pilot and could only utter one word: "Why?"

"You are pathetic, Lightning," Ace replied with such iciness that the Sky Knight shivered. Ace continued.

"Brave, but pathetic. I still remember that day when you got me fresh from the Academy. You told me I was skilled. I was the perfect one for the job. But, being your pathetic self, you treated me as a… as a…"

"Son," Lightning replied, softly. "Isn't that what you wanted? Protection? Love?"

"I NEVER WANTED THAT! See? You are damn pathetic. You never gave me a weapon. But I always trained myself in the darkest hour of night with yours. Yes, I stole it off you. You never believed I could do something myself. You were always there, in front of me. You never saw through your own glory. All those times you failed, I managed to right things back. AND I NEVER GOT A MENTION."

"But you were known as a Storm Hawk. You were known!" Lightning retorted back, his red eyebrows furrowed.

"Barely." was Ace's gruff answer.

Lightning looked into Ace's eyes. They had lost that warm charcoal look to a red-hot fiery glare. Deep inside the Sky Knight's heart, he sensed that his own co-pilot had nearly gone. Now an evil monster started to grow before him. Something twisted, cunning and dark. Its soul was like a malicious and merciless virus as it ravenously consumed Ace's body. Its heart - did it actually have a heart? Was there just a deep pit of the blackest mud in Atmos? Lightning struggled to think that. He thought, no matter how much mud there was, there laid an angel of hope. And right this second, he wanted to bring that angel out. He wanted that angel to shine its light upon Ace and guide him in the right direction.

"Ace, please. Think before you do anything silly. I-"

Ace cut Lightning off with a laugh. That was not his normal laugh. This laugh was not that happy one, when their sharpshooter shared a joke, or when a fellow Storm Hawk tripped over. No, this laugh wanted to kill.

"It's too late, Lightning. I've already sided with Master Cyclonis herself. Ah, all that glory I would get from killing you! I would finally have all the riches, a title and a weapon. And best of all," Ace leaned in and whispered into Lightning's face, "I would have power."

Lightning shook his head. "No, no, no, no…." he thought angrily and continuously in his mind.

Ace's cold laugh chilled the Terra.

Then Lightning cracked. He struck Ace with his words like a thunderbolt, through gritted teeth and anger. His words mimicked the temporary light in a dark storm. "She's evil! Can't you see that? Who is the one blinded by glory now?" Lightning could not take it anymore. He reached behind his back to grab his sword, but it was not there.

Another cold laugh.

"There is no such thing as good or evil! There is only power and those who are weak to seek it. You are so weak that you didn't even realise until too late," Ace taunted, waving the activated sword in front of the Sky Knight's nose.

"Ace, give that back NOW!"

"Oh and you think I would just hand it to you?"

"Yes! You are my friend, my buddy, my co- pilot, my-"

"Shadow?" Ace drawled, raising his eyebrow and placing the sword in a way Lightning could feel the crackling energy on his neck.

Lightning faltered. Shadow? Was Ace the darkness that followed behind Lightning as he struck the crowds of Atmos with his… his perfection? A horrible feeling started to lurk in his veins and pulse through his body. Maybe Ace was right. When you asked an Atmosian who the Storm Hawks were, they would pronounce that they were the best squadron in the whole of Atmos. They would start listing the skills of Lightning, the aim of Finch, the intelligence of Oriole, the strength of Trogon and the flying talents of Heron. But where was Ace? He was hidden in their shadows. Concealed, lost.

Lightning kneeled and closed his eyes. His own arrogance had let Ace walk this path. His own pride had let Ace fall into Cyclonis' hands. This was his fault. He fought to protect his beloved, his son, his friends and the Atmos. Those barricades he built to safeguard, now crumbled into mere ruins upon Ace's feet.

He looked up into Ace's eyes.

"Please."

Ace just smirked. The sword arched up and then back down towards Lightning's neck.

There was no time to scream.

The famous body of Lightning collapsed into a motionless, bloody heap. His severed head rolled, the final emotions of pain and regret still etched upon the face. Staring at the gaping mouth and the pitiful eyes, Ace gave the head one final kick. It flew over the Terra's edge and fell into the crimson chasm of the Wastelands.

Ace looked up towards the scarlet canvas of sky. Grey clouds started to gather, grumbling as they did so. Then they began to cry. The tears drummed down against the headless body, forming red streaks reaching out towards Ace. His eyes fluttered to his dead victim and his brow creased.

"Should I…?" Ace thought.

No. He shouldn't. With one last glare, he looked at the corpse and walked away. His footsteps were heavy as he trudged along the ground finally reaching his skimmer. Finally, he uttered two words.

"No mercy."

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A/N: I have never written anything like this before. I'm not perfect on character insight because this is my first attempt at it. Also, a line/s was stolen from Harry Potter. Guilty as charged. I also pictured Lightning as weak(?) because he finally cracked. I mean, it was the first time he had lost.

Oh another fact. The ex- Storm Hawk names are all bird names, except Ace and Lightning (obviously). Just trying to keep with the canon.

Reviews would be nice.


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